Lover's Day Date
by jackyyy17
Summary: Ben Skywalker tries to find a date for Lover’s Day, only to find out the holiday might not be all it’s cracked up to be.


**The Lover's Day Date**

By: jackyyy17

**Timeframe:** Post Dark Nest

**Genre:** Humor/angst

**Summary: **Ben Skywalker tries to find a date for Lover's Day, only to find out the holiday might not be all it's cracked up to be.

**Notes:** This is in response to the Ben Skywalker Valentine's Day challenge posted on JCF:

_In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day, the challenge is to write a romance story where Ben's love is an already established Star Wars Character.  
To make it even more of a challenge you have to include the following words: dubious, tempestuous, fervor, and assemblage._

* * *

Ben Skywalker had a problem. Well, there was always the whole deal with him being the son of Grand Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, but today that wasn't his foremost problem. 

With less then a week until the galaxy-wide celebration of Lover's Day, Ben was left with the dubious task of finding a date.

Sixteen-year-old Ben had never been into the whole Lover's Day theme, all thanks to his mother, Mara Jade Skywalker. "It's just a scam concocted by the Greeting Holo Industry to appropriate credits from unsuspecting beings in the Galaxy," she always preached. Yet his Father was still obligated to get her something, or on the couch he slept.

In fact, Ben hadn't even been planning to celebrate Lover's Day at all this year until some of the older Jedi boys at the Academy taunted him into it. _Okay, so maybe the problem does have something to do with me being a Skywalker._

"Hey, Daddy's boy," Bla'kre, the leader of the group, taunted, "You got a date for Lover's Day?"

"I bet he doesn't," one of the smaller boys joined in.

"Yeah, I bet he's gonna take his daddy, aren't you daddy's boy," a third, more plump boy added.

"For your information, Bla'kre, I have a date already," Ben lied, and then added for good measure, "And it's not my Father."

"Oh really," Bla'kre mocked. "So your pet crystal snake agreed to go out with you?"

The boys started laughing and one slammed hard into Ben's shoulder as they walked away. Ben flushed with anger. He'd show them.

Now, sitting in his room, Ben started contemplating about an assemblage of girls he could ask out for Lover's Day.

It might have been an easy task for anyone else, but not for Ben. He ran a hand through his red-gold hair as he decided on whom to ask. Anybody that Ben thought of was either too young, or too old. "Why did my parents have to wait so long to have me?" Ben whined in a way that made him sound exactly like his Father.

Ben worked for hours, just to get three possible candidates: the two Antillies girls, Syal, and Myri, and Jysella Horn.

Since Syal was 26, Myri was 24, and Jysella was only 19, Ben decided to go with Jysella and ask her out tomorrow.

-----------------------------------

The next day Ben looked all around for Jysella. He finally found her out in the training grounds with her brother Valin. They were in an intense sparring match, but Ben's famous Skywalker impatience kicked in and he blurted, "Hey Jysella, can I ask you a question real fast?"

Never losing her concentration, Jysella yelled back, "Just a minute." She went into a series of turns, and thrust her saber hard against Valin's, forcing both of them to the side, and with a downward flick of her wrist, neatly disarmed her brother who was ten years her elder.

"I win big brother," she gleamed, and then turned her attention to Ben. "Hey Ben, what's up?"

"I need to ask you a question. Can you come over here for a minute?"

"Sure. No problem." She started to walk over to where Ben stood. "I'll be back to beat you again brother."

"And this time, baby sister, I won't let you win."

She laughed, and as she made her way to Ben said, "Yeah yeah, promises, promises."

Jysella turned to face Ben. "So what can I do far ya, Ben?"

"Well…" Ben suddenly became nervous. "I was wondering if you could… Well would you go out with me on Lover's Day?"

"Oh, Ben… Look, I'm sorry, but I already have a date." She started playing with her dark hair, clearly uncomfortable, and added, "Bla'kre asked me yesterday. Sorry."

Ben suddenly became interested in his feet to hide his beet red face. "That's okay." he managed to say before he walked away.

"Ben," Jysella called after him, but he never even turned around. She shrugged, and made her way back to Valin. "You ready to lose again?" she asked as she ignited her saber.

-----------------------------------

Ben was at a loss of what to do. Lover's Day was tomorrow. Tomorrow! And he still didn't have a date.

He had left a message with Wedge's daughters, but they both replied, saying that they couldn't get off Coruscant.

Now Ben had no idea who to take. His emotions had become a tempestuous mix of grief and embarrassment. He just knew he would be the only one without a date. He would be the laughing stock of the whole academy. At least it couldn't get any worse.

"Son, can we talk for a minute?" Luke Skywalker approached where Ben was sitting on the living room couch, and sat next to him.

Nope, it was worse now "Sure Dad. What do you want?"

"Well, you just seem a little down lately. Is something bothering you, Son?"

Ben self-consciously ran his fingers through his unruly hair. "Well, its nothing really, I was just having a hard time in class."

Luke read through the lie right away. "Those boys are still picking on you, aren't they?"

"Dad, it's nothing. Just let it be. Don't embarrass me."

"Remember son, they are just jealous. Don't pay any attention to their taunts."

"I know. It's just hard sometimes." Ben offered a small smile.

"Well, don't worry about them." Luke got up and ruffled Ben's head. He made his way to the cooking room and added, "Oh, by the way, we just got a message from Malinza. She said she'll be dropping by tomorrow to visit her favorite little Skywalker."

"Really," Ben almost squealed, he was so happy. Maybe, just maybe, he would have a date after all.

"Look's like someone's happy." Luke smiled at his son. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you go clean your room, before she gets here? I'll call you as soon as supper is ready."

"Okay Dad." Ben almost bolted into his room. He had plans to make, and maybe if time allowed, a room to clean.

-----------------------------------

When Malinza Thanas finally arrived the next morning, Ben was ecstatic.

He had gotten little sleep last night. All he could think of was that he would have a date. He just knew Malinza would go out with him, he just knew it.

"Hey Bennie, it's good to see you again." Malinza smiled and hugged him. She was even more beautiful the Ben remembered. Her light brown hair had gotten very long, and how she wore it, wrapped around her head in a braid with the rest flowing down her back, reminded him of her deceased mother Gaeriel, whom he had only seen in holos.

Ben gathered up his courage, and blurted out before he could change his mind, "I know this is kind of last minute, and that you're much older then me, but would you like to be my date tonight. We could go to one of the restaurants nearby or something."

Malinza studied him for a moment, deciding whether or not he was joking. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Ben, she smiled. "Sure, why not? After all, I am here to visit you and your family. It might even be fun."

Ben's heart was beating so fast. _I don't believe it. She said yes. _He calmed down enough to say, "Okay, we can leave later on, make it 18 hundred hours."

She batted her eyelashes, and Ben noticed her green eye on the right, and her gray one on the left; it was another trait she inherited from her mother. "Sounds like a date." She got up and turned to leave. "See you later, Ben."

When she was out of sight, Ben jumped up and said, "Yes! I've got a date, and she is the hottest one!"

-----------------------------------

Ben sat across from Malinza, in one of Ossus' finest restaurants, Cafe Izmir. They had a booth seat and were dining on the best food around, Alvisa and Pashi Noodles and Banja Cake for dessert. On their table a small candle provided a soft light and a romantic atmosphere.

Throughout the night Ban and Malinza lightly bantered. She seemed so wise to Ben, and yet she was funny at the same time. It didn't really seem that there was a 12-year age gap between them.

During the course of the meal, romantic music started to play. Several of the guests got up and headed over to the dance floor and started swaying to the music.

Ben, caught up in the fervor of the atmosphere, took Malinza's hand. "Would you care to dance with me?" he asked.

"Sure, Ben. Why not."

Still holding her hand, Ben led her to the center of the dance floor. She was a little taller then him, but not by much, and Ben was happy that he hadn't inherited the shortness gene from his dad.

At first dancing was a little awkward. Malinza, who was obviously a more experienced dancer, moved with grace, Ben held his own, and quickly learned, and duplicated, the steps. As the couple became more attuned to each other, and the movements of their bodies in time to the music, Ben took the lead. Their steps became a smooth entity as they moved to the tune of the music.

Soon, Ben didn't even have to think about what he was doing, and he let his mind wander to Malinza, and how she felt so right in his arms. With each twist, every twirl, he fell more in love with her. Time seemed to freeze, and the music seemed to fade into eternity. For in that time it was just Ben and Malinza, and that was all that mattered.

Finally, after what seemed like a much too short time later, the music came to an end and the guests departed the floor. Ben was still lost in his own world, not wanting the night to ever come to an end.

"Ben, we should really get you home. It's late, and I promised your parents I would get you home by midnight." Malinza led Ben off the dance floor. She deposited some credits for the meal, and led Ben home.

The walk back was quiet. Both were lost in their own thoughts.

When they finally sat down on the couch, Ben broke the silence. "You know I would have paid for that. You didn't have to."

"I know, but your parents gave me some credits to use for tonight. The meal was on them. It didn't cost me anything."

"Fine. But next time, I pay. Okay?"

Malinza looked down at her hands. She was suddenly very uncomfortable. "I don't think there will be a next time," she whispered.

"Why not?' Ben was already off the couch, but Malinza grabbed his hand and sat him back down.

"Ben, you're just too young." The room was too dark for Ben to see her expression, but he could have sworn he saw the glisten of tears in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm already sixteen. That's old enough."

"Yeah, Ben, for a sixteen-year-old girl, but I'm twenty-eight. That's just too much of an age difference." She smiled softly, as if in memory. "Besides, you're more like a younger brother to me, and I could never date my brother."

"But I'm not your brother." Ben was starting to get upset. "We are not even related."

"In a sense, we are." She kept her voice soft and clam, but hurt was evident on her face. Not the hurt of losing a lover, but more like upsetting a best friend. "Your Father was kind enough to help take care of me after my mother died. I love him like a father." There were tears in her eyes at remembering her mother. "He's more of a father to me then you'll ever know."

Now Ben was feeling sorry for her. Not knowing what else to say, Ben calmed and sighed, "I'm sorry, Malinza."

"It's not your fault Ben. I should have never agreed to the date…" She trailed off, and blushed slightly.

Ben caught her hesitation. "You like someone else, don't you?" When Malinza didn't say anything Ben continued, "Its Bla'kre isn't it? Please don't tell me it's Bla'kre. Anybody but him" Ben would never live it down if it was. Heartbroken was one thing, but taunted about that would be even worse.

"Don't worry so much Ben, it's not. It's Valin. We have been on and off for a while. Right now we're off, and I came here to… Well, to make him jealous. I'm sorry Ben, but you weren't supposed to fall in love with me. I never intended for that to happen. You're just too young."

"Who says I love you?" Ben wiped away some tears that had formed.

"I can see it in your eyes." She stood up. "Goodnight, little brother, and I am so sorry."

Ben sat on the couch and cried. His first love, and his first heartbreak. If he'd only known, he would have never decided to participate in Lover's Day. The boys taunting was better then heartache.

His mom was right. Lover's Day wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

The End

* * *

Please review. Your Comments are greatly appreciated! 

jacky


End file.
